I had the great pleasure of seeing my daughter graduate from college last week. She had an amazing college career, and we are so very proud of her accomplishments. Graduates get lots of advice; commencement speakers, parents, grandparents, career counselors, even graduation cards offer guidance and suggestions. So since I have a soapbox and am rarely heard at home, I’ll take this opportunity to offer my own advice to my children, other graduates and anyone embarking on a new life journey.

I have no idea if this advice is supremely wise or completely ill-conceived, so the first item is very important:

1. Don’t take other people’s advice too seriously. Everyone has an opinion on the best career, where to settle down, and how to live your life. Listen politely, take what’s useful, and then ask your own heart what feels right.
2. Be kind to yourself. Make the voice inside your head your best friend, or the parent you wish you’d had.
3. Mistakes are required. Or in other words, there are no mistakes; simply steps closer to becoming the person you were meant to be.
4. It’s never too late. A life can be reinvented in a moment. If you find that the path you’ve chosen doesn’t suit you, just change it. It’s easier than you think.
5. Your desires matter. Honor your preferences for things, places, people and experiences —they make you uniquely you.
6. Value yourself. You may not know everything, but you know enough to figure things out. You may not be perfect, but you are good enough. For anything or anyone.
7. Follow your bliss. There’s nothing wrong with money. I like it a lot. But nothing satisfies like getting lost in your art, dance, yoga, charity, business or whatever endeavor brings you joy.
8. Thoughts are powerful. Envision a future that excites and inspires you. Let the universe know what you want.
9. Take action. Don’t wait for life to happen. You are more capable and powerful than you think. Set things in motion, even if you start with baby steps.
10. Let go, and let the universe do its thing. It’s on your side.

Ana